Why Wrong People in the Wrong Seats Will Sink Your Business
If you’ve ever sat at the head of a leadership table and thought, “I love these people, but something just feels off,” you’re not alone.
I’ve seen it in dozens of businesses I’ve coached, and I saw it firsthand when I stepped in as the fractional integrator for my friend and former client, Tina Caul.
When I walked into her first leadership team meeting, there were twelve people sitting around the table. Twelve. For context, this wasn’t a Fortune 500 company with sprawling departments — this was a growing real estate business.
And yet, everyone had a title. Everyone had a role. Everyone had an opinion.
Here’s the truth: they were all good people. Loyal. Hardworking. Well-intentioned. But as we mapped out accountability, the problem became crystal clear.
Many of them were in the wrong seat.
What Does “Wrong Seat” Really Mean?
When we talk about “wrong people in the wrong seats,” it comes straight out of the EOS® playbook — but it’s a universal business problem.
Right person, wrong seat: They align with your values, but they’re simply not equipped to succeed in the role they’re in.
Wrong person, right seat: They may have the skills, but their values clash with your culture.
Wrong person, wrong seat: They shouldn’t be there at all.
At Tina’s table, we had the full mix. And as much as she wanted to “fix” everyone, the truth was unavoidable: no amount of duct tape was going to keep that airplane in the air.
Why Visionaries Struggle With This
Visionaries are includers by nature. They believe in people, they see potential, and they want to give everyone a shot. That’s part of what makes them magnetic leaders.
But here’s the downside: that same loyalty can cloud judgment. Instead of building a business around what the organization needs, they build it around the people they love.
That works for a while. But as the business scales, cracks begin to show:
Bloated leadership teams that can’t make decisions quickly.
Politics and posturing around titles and responsibilities.
Resentment from high performers who feel slowed down by misaligned teammates.
And perhaps worst of all, the visionary themselves starts to feel trapped.
The Question That Changes Everything
When Tina and I started sorting through her leadership team, I asked her one question that became a turning point:
“If relationships were off the table, would you rehire this person for this seat today?”
She paused. She wrestled with it. And time and again, her answer was no.
That clarity was painful, but it was freeing. Because once you know the truth, you can’t un-know it. The only question left is: do you have the courage to act?
The Domino Effect of the Wrong Seat
Here’s something most leaders don’t realize: it’s not usually the “wrong person” who leaves on their own. It’s the good people around them.
Think about it. The misaligned employee is comfortable. They’re flying under the radar, doing just enough to survive. But your top talent — the people who crave excellence — they’re the ones who get frustrated. They’re the ones who burn out. And eventually, they’re the ones who leave.
Keeping the wrong person in the wrong seat doesn’t just hurt performance — it poisons culture.
How to Fix It
So, how do you course-correct when you realize your leadership team looks more like Tina’s twelve-person roundtable than a streamlined, high-performing unit?
Start with Structure, Not People.
Draw your accountability chart as if you didn’t know who was in the business. What does the company need? Only then do you layer people back in.Be Brutally Honest.
For each seat, ask: “If I were hiring today, would I hire this person for this role?”Use Core Values as Your Compass.
Skills can be trained. Values cannot. If someone doesn’t align with your culture, no amount of coaching will fix it.Act Faster Than Feels Comfortable.
Leaders often tolerate misalignment for months — even years — hoping things will improve. But the longer you wait, the more damage is done.Communicate with Care.
Letting someone go doesn’t have to mean burning a bridge. Often, it’s the most loving thing you can do — freeing them to thrive somewhere that’s a better fit.
The Other Side
Fast forward to today: Tina’s leadership team is smaller, stronger, and more aligned than ever. She found her perfect integrator, Daria, and together they’ve created the structure, accountability, and trust that give Tina the freedom to grow the business — and her new ventures — without being weighed down.
The wrong people in the wrong seats nearly sank her business. The right people in the right seats are now propelling it forward.
👉 Visionary, take a hard look at your leadership team. Who’s really aligned with your culture and capable of carrying the business where it needs to go? And who’s just holding on because you’re too afraid to make a change?
The sooner you answer those questions, the sooner your business can truly take off.
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